Urinary incontinence is a problem among females. It is estimated that up to 50% of women occasionally leak urine involuntarily and that approximately 25% of women will seek medical advice in order to deal with the problem. Stress incontinence, the most common type of urinary incontinence, refers to the involuntary leakage of urine resulting from a rise in abdominal pressure. When involuntary urination occurs, it often happens because of a rise in pressure in the bladder for which there is no compensating counter-pressure from the bladder neck or urethra. This is usually the result of the abnormal descent of the bladder neck and the urethra into a low position and away from the intra-abdominal pressure system. Known as “hypermobility,” this can be the result of some injury to the support mechanism which normally keeps the urethra and the bladder neck in a raised position along the backside of the pubic bone.
The lowering of the bladder neck and the urethra that occur, for example, when a woman coughs, sneezes, or laughs, can cause involuntary leakage of urine. While many different factors may contribute to the development of stress incontinence, it is most prevalent among women ages 35-65 and those who have had multiple vaginal deliveries.
Stress incontinence is both aggravating and unpleasant for women and it can also be embarrassing. Many women wear sanitary pads in order to deal with stress incontinence although this is not a real solution to the problem and it can be very inconvenient and unreliable. Surgical treatment may involve, among other things, elevation of the anterior vaginal wall (Anterior Colporrhaphy), securing the paraurethral tissues to the periosteum of the pubic bone (Marshall-Marchetti-Krantz operation), or elevation of the paracervical vaginal anterior wall to the Coopers ligament (Burch colpo suspension) in order to elevate the bladder neck above the level of the pelvic floor and thereby distribute pressure equally to the bladder, the bladder neck, and the mid-urethra. Recently, a procedure known as “TVT” (Tension Free Vaginal Tape) was developed in which a mesh tape is implanted underneath the urethra (usually mid-urethra) creating a hammock on which the urethra may kink during a rise in intra-abdominal pressure. However, surgery is only suitable for severe cases and the majority of women experiencing stress incontinence do not need, and certainly would rather avoid, surgical solutions.
One non-surgical treatment involves the use of vaginal inserts that are inserted into the vagina either by a medical practitioner or by the woman herself. Most vaginal inserts are designed to apply pressure against the bladder neck so as to inhibit or completely block the flow of urine through the urethra. One problem with such vaginal inserts is that they completely block the urethra and thus they need to be removed or collapsed in order to allow the woman to urinate. To overcome this drawback vaginal inserts have been developed having specialized shapes that do not completely block the urethra but these vaginal inserts tend to be large, uncomfortable, and intrusive. They also tend to cause irritation or soreness to the vagina.
Another common shortcoming is that most vaginal inserts also tend to be difficult, painful, or uncomfortable to insert and/or remove. In order to correctly inhibit urine flow, the vaginal insert needs to be properly positioned in the vaginal canal. As a result, a doctor may be required to properly position the vaginal insert. In most cases, the vaginal insert is adapted for remaining in the vagina for a prolonged period of time (due to the time and expense of requiring a trained medical professional to insert and/or remove the vaginal insert). However, when positioned in the vagina for an extended period of time, the vaginal insert may cause vaginal infections, pressure ulcers, and/or bleeding.
A woman may desire to insert a vaginal insert herself thereby asserting personal control over the insertion and removal of the vaginal insert. To assist with the insertion of the vaginal insert, an applicator, such as is used for tampon insertion, can be provided to house the vaginal insert. A shortcoming associated with simply placing the vaginal insert into an applicator is that the vaginal insert can experience migration towards the outlet of the applicator, such as during shipment or storage. If the vaginal insert migrates too far towards the outlet, the vaginal insert may self-expel from the applicator prematurely.
A vaginal insert for treating urinary incontinence should have a size and shape configuration such that it can be comfortable during the insertion and removal process. A vaginal insert for treating urinary incontinence also needs to be capable of expanding following insertion into the vagina and during wear in order to provide efficacious incontinence protection. A vaginal insert for treating urinary incontinence also needs to be cost effective to manufacture in order to provide a woman with a cost effective treatment. For example, currently available vaginal inserts may be manufactured via a molding process. A vaginal insert having a specialized shape so as to not completely block the urethra may require a complex mold and molding process to manufacture the vaginal insert. There is a need for a vaginal insert which can be manufactured utilizing a simplified manufacturing process. There is a need for a vaginal insert for treating urinary incontinence which can be comfortable to wear in an at-rest state and which can provide incontinence prevention during a high stress event. There is a need for a vaginal insert which can be inserted by the woman without the need for a trained medical professional. There is a need for a vaginal insert which can be provided to a woman in an applicator. There is a need for a vaginal insert which can remain in the applicator until such a time when the vaginal insert is needed by the woman.